WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT IOWA'S WETLANDS Our actions now have the potential to influence wetlands permitting for the next five years. PLEASE SEND A LETTER BY E-MAIL OR FAX BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH. Think about what wetlands mean to you personally, write a paragraph or two about that, and then add those comments to the suggested recommendations in the sample letter below and send by e-mail or fax to Ralph Turkle by close of the day February 18th. Thanks! The new Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permits (NWP) allow the Corps to waive many of the environmental conditions that were meant to slow down the loss of our wetlands and streams and they will allow continued activities that damage or destroy wetlands and miles of streams every year --without full environmental review or public notice. Increased water pollution, worsened flooding and loss of wildlife habitat can be expected from the new wetlands policy proposed by the Corps of Engineers. *The State of Iowa can choose to accept, deny, or place conditions on the use of any or all of the NWPs within the state. State denial of a NWP would provide the public with the opportunity to comment on the application. For more information contact Jane Clark at [log in to unmask] ========================================= Sample letter: To: Ralph Turkle Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wallace State Office Building 900 East Grand Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034 FAX (515)281-8895 or by email to: [log in to unmask] Dear Mr. Turkle: The following are suggested actions for Iowa regarding the Clean Water Act, Section 401 certification authority over the Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permits and their Regional Conditions. Iowa should require full environmental review or public notice, for activities that damage and destroy wetlands and streams. General Conditions that should be recommended for the Rock Island Corps District and Iowa: Limits on impacts to streams: Retain the current limit of 300 linear feet on impacts to the entire watercourse. The Corps has incorporated a waiver from the 300 linear foot limit for "intermittent streams". Intermittent streams are just as important to protect, for water quality, floodwater absorption and aquatic habitat. Impacts should not be authorized under NWPs for activities that impact more than 1/2 acre of wetland or more than 300 linear feet of stream (and should be lower in many areas) Floodplain restrictions: The weakened floodplain restrictions in the new final NWPs should not be adopted; districts and states should adopt stronger conditions, denying the use of all NWPs in the entire 100-year floodplain Mitigation conditions: The final NWPs contain reduced mitigation conditions that abandon effective means to achieve 'no net loss' of wetlands. Stronger mitigation conditions are essential and Iowa should require more than 1:1 mitigation. Mitigation should be required for impacts to any aquatic system, including ephemeral wetlands. Meaningful stream mitigation must occur and wetland mitigation must involve an absolute minimum of an acre of wetlands restored for every acre impacted. High quality waters and unique systems: No NWPs should be allowed in high quality and unique ecosystems in Iowa, such as: scenic river watersheds, unique or rare aquatic systems, bogs, fens, forested wetlands, sedge meadows, seeps, streamside marshes, vernal pools, ephemeral wetlands, wet prairies, wetlands supporting Federal or Iowa endangered or threatened species, and wetlands with a high floristic quality or in systems that are impossible to replace through mitigation, such as coldwater streams, mature forested wetlands, etc. These wetland types provide functions which are very difficult, or impossible, to replace with mitigation. All Pre-construction notifications must be posted on a website and/or made available to the public to review with sufficient time available for citizens to alert the state and Corps to incorrect factual statements and incomplete information contained in the notice. The Corps must report regularly to the state agency about the impacts they have permitted to occur under the NWPs. Sincerely, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]